[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 67 (Friday, May 22, 1998)]
[House]
[Pages H3773-H3774]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 FAREWELL AND APPRECIATION TO MARY E. ``MEG'' GOETZ, LONG-TIME VALUED 
                  EMPLOYEE OF HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

  Mrs. ROUKEMA. Mr. Speaker, I want our colleagues to know that this is 
a very special moment for the House of Representatives. I rise to 
recognize the dedicated service, a long time of service, I might add, 
of our Reading Clerk, Mary E. Goetz, known to all of us as Meg.
  Meg formerly was a constituent of mine in Glen Rock, New Jersey, but 
I really got to know her here on the floor of the House for her 
wonderful, dedicated work. Meg, as she is known, is retiring from the 
House after a few years of service. We will talk about that later, 
because I think she really looks much too young to have served here for 
that long.
  But I would like to say that there are two Meg Goetzes that this 
House knows. The first is the Meg Goetz who is the serious, 
responsible, dedicated professional who keeps the work of the House 
going on time and in order. Indeed, in that capacity, she has become 
literally a folk hero to millions and millions of C-Span viewers. I 
hear that frequently about Meg.
  The second Meg Goetz is the Meg that we know off camera, that her 
friends and her colleagues and the other professionals and staff know 
off camera. That Meg Goetz is bright and affable and, yes, dedicated, 
but has a wonderful sense of humor. I do not know that we will be able 
to enjoy that today, but there are others here who can repeat some of 
those stories about Meg's sense of humor.
  I would like to tell you that I was really stunned yesterday when I 
learned, because it was only yesterday that I learned of her decision 
to retire from this position. I think, like me and probably all of the 
Members, we thought she was far too young to consider any such 
retirement. I have to say, as incredible as it may seem, because I know 
it is incredible to me, Meg Goetz has served 20 years in this Chamber.
  I guess she has decided that there must be a life outside of this 
Chamber. I cannot imagine how she could have decided that. After all, 
20 years of daily contact with us, Members of the House, Members of 
Congress, and all those all night sessions, I cannot imagine why she is 
looking for another life. But I do think, Meg, you deserve a break. But 
that is not what is happening here. You know you will be missed, and C-
Span viewers will be missing their hero, their folk hero. Members of 
this House will desperately miss, along with her co-workers, her 
dedication, professionalism, and her wit.
  I have to say that I know she is going on to other very worthwhile 
endeavors, and we are proud of her for all she has done and all she 
will do. Meg, I have to put in the name of Glen Rock, New Jersey, our 
common constituency. Glen Rock is proud of you. As we say in New 
Jersey, we are all perfect together. Meg, you are perfect together, and 
we hope to see you back here soon. Thank you so much for all you have 
done.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, will the gentlewoman yield?
  Mrs. ROUKEMA. I yield to the gentleman from Maryland.
  Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I think the gentlewoman consumed about 10 
seconds on her presentation, and I will try to be equally brief.
  Mr. Speaker, I am very proud and pleased to rise to join my 
colleague, the gentlewoman from New Jersey, and am rightfully proud of 
the heritage of Meg Goetz. The viewers on C-Span see the debate, 
sometimes acrimonious and confrontational, sometimes lacking in 
civility. Most times they do not see the staff who make it possible to 
have debates and to keep this institution going.
  Too few of us perhaps take the time to realize the contributions that 
are made by, for the public, probably nameless, and certainly for Meg 
not faceless, but for some faceless employees, who, day-to-day, week-
to-week, month-to-month, year-to-year, through their dedication and 
commitment make it possible for us to function effectively as the 
people's House.
  Some have been here for many years more than most Members. Meg Goetz 
is one of those people. She has been here now for over two decades, and 
as the gentlewoman from New Jersey has said, she has brought to her job 
a great ability, but as well, a great demeanor. Her character and 
commitment to this democratic institution have added to its stature, 
and never, ever detracted from it. Few of us that serve in this body 
can say that we always did the same.
  I want to rise, not on behalf of the Democrats or on behalf of the 
Democratic leadership, but on behalf, Meg, of all who have served in 
this body during your tenure. As I am sure my colleague, the 
gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Slaughter), will observe, and I do not 
want to steal her thunder, but I think it is so appropriate to 
recognize, Mr. Speaker, that Meg Goetz is the first woman who has 
served as a Reading Clerk of this House, appointed by Tip O'Neill.
  In doing so, she had, I am sure, a special cognizance of her 
responsibility to her gender in that capacity. Every woman in America 
can be proud of their representative, their first representative as our 
Reading Clerk.
  Meg, I know that I speak for all who have served in this body during 
your tenure, who have enjoyed not only the competency with which you 
performed your task of informing the House from time to time what the 
business before the House was, of informing us of the amendments, of 
the messages from the Senate or from the President; yes, you have 
performed your duties in a very professional way, but in a very 
personal way for each of us you have been our friend, our adviser and 
counselor from time to time when you knew much more about what was 
going on than we did. And we would ask, Meg, what are we doing? And you 
always knew.
  It is, Meg, sad that you are leaving, but as the gentlewoman from New 
Jersey has observed, you leave very young with much ahead of you, and I 
know that you will carry with you the experiences in this House to 
whatever endeavors you now pursue, and that you will be enriched by 
those experiences, as you have enriched this institution, this people's 
House, this center of democracy, not just for America but for the 
world. It is, Meg, because of people like yourself that this body has 
functioned so well. Notwithstanding its weaknesses, its foibles, its 
personal failures from time to time, it is people like yourself who 
have given it strength, given it judgment, given it balance.
  So I am pleased, Meg, to rise with all those with whom you have 
served to thank you, to thank you for your dedication, and for your 
service, and for your friendship, and to wish you the very best in 
everything that you do in the years to come. Godspeed.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay a special tribute to someone who has 
been part of this institution longer than myself and many of my 
colleagues.
  Although she is not a Member of Congress, her face and name is known 
to everyone in this chamber, (and to those thousands of adoring fans on 
C-SPAN).
  Mary E. ``Meg'' Goetz, the House Reading Clerk, is leaving us after 
20 years of service to the House of Representatives.

[[Page H3774]]

  Meg is a 1978 political science/economics graduate from Chestnut Hill 
College in Philadelphia, PA.
  She began her career with the United States House of Representatives 
in 1978 as a legislative information specialist.
  In 1981 she became the Assistant Journal Clerk, helping to compile 
and publish this important publication.
  In 1983 she became the House Reading Clerk.
  Often seen and often heard, Meg is an active part of the backbone 
which helps make the institution of Congress function.
  From her perch on the dias, she has had a ringside seat on the 
history of America.
  I know that my colleagues join me in wishing Meg the best of luck in 
her future endeavors.
  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, will the gentlewoman yield?
  Mrs. ROUKEMA. I yield to the gentlewoman from New York.
  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. I 
feel, as I am sure everyone else in the House felt, that I had a very 
special relationship with Meg. When I first came here 12 years ago, I 
learned that one of the things that freshmen do is have the great honor 
of presiding over Special Orders. I took to that, it was a wonderful 
thing for me to be doing, and made so much easier because of Meg.
  I always relished being able to do it early in the week, because Meg 
Goetz and Paul Hayes and I share a special passion that we have never 
discussed with anybody on the floor of the House. That is that we are 
totally devoted to the Sunday New York Times crossword puzzle. So even 
though the issue of the special order was sometimes grim, sometimes 
not, we always had a fall-back position where we could say, ``Did you 
get 22 across?"
  Meg has been, as everyone said before me, a pillar of strength in 
this House, and the millions of people in this country who understand 
how this democracy works and the way she has always conducted herself, 
with extraordinary decorum and with extraordinarily good judgment, know 
that a lot of good things about this House are because of the 
dedication and work that Meg Goetz brought to it.
  I envy the people that Meg is going to leave us to work for. They are 
getting a woman of great character and professionalism and ability, and 
I look forward to working with her in her new capacity.
  But I do want her to know that coming here as a freshman, as everyone 
else can say, I am sure, as equally well as I, to have the friendship 
of Meg Goetz to help us over the intricacies and the tough problems, 
never, never losing patience, always explaining over and over again, if 
need be, but always there to help us to do the right thing, she was 
bringing, obviously, to her job the professionalism that she felt, 
working for the House of Representatives, the United States Congress 
deserved.
  Meg, we shall miss you, and thank you for all of your friendship to 
me, and thank you on behalf of all of the others here, because I know 
how much you have meant to each and every one of us. God bless.
  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, will the gentlewoman yield?
  Mrs. ROUKEMA. I yield to the gentlewoman from Maryland.
  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to add my thanks, also, and 
appreciation for all that Meg has done for all of us. She has been a 
real pillar of perseverance, of patience, when she has been there to 
witness our deliberations. She has been a rock of stability, and yet 
always in her quiet, very professional way, has been there to help us 
in any way that we needed.
  So I have always looked to Meg, as other colleagues have, as all my 
colleagues have, as somebody who is part of the institution and who has 
made it so very great.
  My best wishes to you as you go forward and have a great adventure; 
and as Shakespeare would say, those about her from her shall learn the 
perfect ways of honor. Thank you, cheerio, and come back and see us.
  Mrs. ROUKEMA. Meg, May I conclude by saying, God bless and Godspeed.

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